Earthquake
by mssilenthorse
Summary: An earthquake shakes up Dallas and injures two Rangers.
1. Chapter 1

**Hope you enjoy. Thank you moviemom. Please read and review.**

Earthquake

The sun was low and the weather was warm. The smells of fall surrounded the four friends as they walked down the path that wound around the city park. The path was surrounded by trees that were bathed in brilliant Autumn colors. A ravine, to the right of the path, held even more beauty in color. Walker and Gage were discussing a recent case, while Alex and Sydney walked behind them pushing six-month-old Angela in a stroller. Alex was talking about Angela's latest milestone of attempting to crawl. Sydney laughed.

Gage heard her laugh and smiled. It was his favorite sound in all the world.

"What do you suppose is so funny?" Gage quizzed Walker.

"Alex probably told her about Angela trying to crawl. She gets up on her hands and knees and just when you think she's gonna take off, she goes backwards. It's hilarious," Walker said with a chuckle.

Alex pulled the stroller to the side as Angela began to fuss. Sydney reached into the stroller and unstrapped the little beauty and held her to her shoulder. "What is the matter with you, cutie?"

Gage smiled, he liked the way she looked holding Angela. The way the smile stretched across her face and the sound of her cooing at the now laughing baby. He stepped toward them. He stopped as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He glanced over his surroundings and noticed Walker doing the same thing. "What is it?"

Walker shook his head "Not sure."

The two Rangers neared their ladies as the ground started to shake.

Gage was only a few feet from Sydney who was still holding Angela. Alex shreiked and Walker pushed her to the ground. Sydney lost her footing and slid to the ground. The dirt beneath her feet gave way and she rolled down the embankment. Pulling Angela close to her chest and covering the infant's head as she saw the tree in their path. Thinking fast, Sydney rolled away from the tree trying to get some sort of traction in the loose dirt. She felt the impact as her back slammed into the tree.

Gage, caught in the same rock slide as Sydney, slid past her and rolled to a stop at the bottom. He took a second to catch his breath and his bearings, then pushed himself up to survey the surroundings. He could hear water near him. His ribs hurt and he suspected one or two of them were broken. Sydney was up against a tree about 300 feet up the ravine and the dirt was still really loose. He was worried about an aftershock causing more rocks and dirt to fall. He ran a shaky hand through his hair and took a deep breath. "Here goes," he told himself. He started slowly placing his feet in the dirt to try and reach Sydney.


	2. Chapter 2

**I hope you enjoy the second part. Please read and review. Thank you.**

As Walker stood up, he heard Alex shriek.

"ANGELA! Our baby, Walker! Oh my God, Walker!" She ran to the edge of what used to be the walking path. Walker pulled her back.

"Alex, no! It's too unstable." He led her over to a bench along the path. "Wait here," he said as his cell phone rang.

"Walker here," he said into the phone, rather amazed that his distraught wife was actually staying put on the bench. "Thank God, Trivette. Yeah, we felt it too. Listen, we need RESCUE sent here _now_! Gage and Sydney got caught in a landslide down the ravine..." He paused, swallowed the lump of fear in his throat. "Sydney had Angela when..." Walker's voice cracked.

Trivette didn't miss a beat. "You hang on, Walker. Help is already on the way. Everything is gonna be fine, man."

Walker disconnected the call, praying his friend was right. And then he heard his little angel start to cry.

Sydney took a deep breath. The pain had stopped but now there was another problem. She couldn't feel her legs. She looked at the crying baby in her arms. "Oh. Shhh, little cutie. It'll be okay." She brushed dirt off the baby's face and did the best she could to assess the child for injuries. She seemed fine, just scared. Sydney nuzzled the baby close and sang to her softly. She felt dizzy and rubbed a finger across her forehead. Her finger came away bloody. She saw movement out of the corner of her eye. Straining to focus her vision against the evening sunlight, she saw Gage trying to make it up the steep wall of the ravine. She smiled and told the crying baby "Look, here comes your Uncle Gage. He'll help us!" Her voice was low but calming to the baby as Angela stuck a chubby fist into her little mouth. Small hiccups escaped from the baby. Sydney hated feeling useless and not in control.

Gage pulled himself farther up the ravine. Breathing was difficult. It felt like someone was sitting on his chest. He was worried. He'd heard Angela's cries a moment ago and now she was silent. He was within 100 feet of them now. He stopped to try to catch his breath again and then trudged higher toward Sydney. He said a silent prayer as he neared her that she was okay. Gage reached Sydney and was welcomed with one of her amazing smiles. He placed a hand on Angela's head and looked at Sydney with concern. "She's fine, just scared." Gage exhaled the breath he had been holding. He reached for the gash on Sydney's forehead. He looked into Sydney's chocolate eyes as the aftershock he had been expecting took his legs out from under him. He fell against the tree and rolled over to cover Sydney and the baby with his body as rocks and loose dirt fell on them.


	3. Chapter 3

**This chapter is a little longer. Hope you enjoy. Please read and review.**

Back on the path, Walker felt the much smaller aftershock as he held his still sobbing wife. More dirt and rocks fell from the side of the dirt wall. "Oh Walker!" she cried.

"Alex, look at me." He turned her to face him. Staring into her blue eyes, he could see her heart breaking. "She is with Sydney. You know she will take good care of her, " he said with certainty.

Alex nodded. She knew her young friend would care for the baby as if she were her own. But she wanted her daughter in her arms. She wanted to know that her child was safe. "Oh God, Walker, what if she's hurt?" More sobs escaped, this time shaking her whole body.

Walker pulled his wife closer. That same thought had crossed his mind. Did Sydney still have a hold of Angela? Was Angela hurt? Scared? Too many questions ran through his head. Where was Trivette with that rescue squad? Were Gage and Sydney okay? He shook his head trying to dislodge his doubts. He had to be strong now.

After the ground settled, Gage looked at Sydney. "Are you okay?" he asked his partner. Sydney nodded and stared at the blue-eyed baby still in her arms. Trying to sound calmer then she really was, she said "Y-Yeah, we're fine."

Smoothing a hand over the baby's head, Gage came up with a plan. "We need to get settled. There may be more aftershocks. We should probably find some sort of shelter in case of more rock slides." Sydney closed her eyes and shook her head. She knew the dirt was too loose to try to make it back up the cliff. So she knew Gage was right.

"Walker will have Search and Rescue here in no time," Gage reassured her. A tear started to roll down her cheek. It killed him to see her cry, but he forced himself to smile at her. It usually helped, but not this time.

Another tear fell as she looked back at him. "Gage, I.." Angela stirred, wanting to sit up. Sydney repositioned the baby and Angela laid her head on Sydney's shoulder.

Gage waited for her to finish her thought, his face etched with concern.

"Gage, I c-can't go a-anywhere," she stuttered.

"It's OK, Syd," he said softly. "I'll carry the little cutie until we get over to those trees. That way if more rocks fall we will be out of the path of them." He reached for Angela. Sydney placed a hand on his arm, stopping his progress. She took a deep breath. Gage saw fear in her eyes. Something was wrong. "Syd what is it? What's wrong?"

She stared at her partner, words stuck in her throat. She had to tell him; he needed to know. Besides, it was hard to keep anything from him. "I can't.. I can't feel my legs, Gage," she confessed, the last part almost a whisper.

Gage's eyes grew big as he realized she must have hit the tree on her way down. He swallowed hard. Seeing the fear and despair in her eyes broke his heart. He looked at the shelter he found for them, then up to the edge of the ravine. Could he carry Sydney to safety, one way or the other? He knew he could, broken ribs and all, but it wasn't smart to move her because of the possibility of a spinal injury. Small rocks tumbled down the dirt wall and his panic rose. How could he protect these two people that he cared about if another rock slide came at them?


	4. Chapter 4

Trivette ran up to where Walker and Alex were sitting on the bench.

"JIMMY!" Alex cried as he pulled her to her feet and wrapped her in a hug. Walker stood and clapped his friend on the back as Trivette explained, "Rescue is on the way. There are a lot of injured people and the squads are all over the city." He motioned to the jagged end of the path. "Is this where they went over?" Walker nodded as he and Alex walked over to the edge of the cliff.

Walker couldn't see anything but trees. "We heard Angela crying about 30 minutes ago and then she stopped." Walker looked scared.

Trivette tried to comfort his friends. "Maybe she fell asleep. You know Sydney can put her to sleep just like that," he said, snapping his fingers.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Walker said, praying it was true as he walked Alex back over to the bench and sat down with her to wait for the rescue crew.

Gage realized he couldn't get Sydney and the baby to the shelter, so he had to get the shelter to them. "Syd, I'm gonna try to get some of those fallens trees up here to brace behind this one to keep any more rocks off of us." Unaware of Gage's injuries, Sydney looked at the trees more the 50 feet away. She saw their size and knew it would be hard for Gage to pull those trees up the hill to where they sat. "No, Gage, it's too far. Those trees have to weigh a ton." Still, she had to think of Angela's safety. She took a deep breath. "Take Angela. You and her go down there. Keep her safe."

Gage shook his head. "I'm not leaving you, Syd. Not a chance."

Angela fussed again. Sydney looked at the baby. "She's probably hungry," Sydney replied. "And thirsty. We have to keep her hydrated."

Gage looked at his partner, knowing she was right. He didn't know how long it would take the rescue team to get there and the sun was setting. His ribs were hurting and the pain was almost unbearable. He stifled a groan as he realized the only water source he knew of was at the bottom of the dirt wall, near where he had landed after the initial quake. He closed his eyes and took as deep a breath as he could without screaming out in pain.

"There's water near the bottom of the ravine," he told Sydney. "I'll have to go get some water for her." He looked at the dried blood on her forehead. "And for you. You need to stay hydrated, too, and we need to clean that cut on your head." He dreaded having to go down the slick wall and having to walk back up, knew it was going to hurt like a sonofabitch, but there was no other way.

The worried look on his face made Sydney worry. "What's wrong, Gage?" she asked, placing a caring hand on his arm. Looking into her eyes, he knew he couldn't lie to her. He never could. He didn't want to see the disappointment in the chocolate depths of her eyes when he revealed his weakness, but he couldn't bring himself to look away either. He might be wounded, but he still had his pride. "I think I have a broken rib. Or two."

"Oh Francis, I'm sorry."

What he saw in her eyes wasn't disappointment but deep concern. And something else. Faith. She believed in him, in his ability to keep them safe. Gone was that momentary glimpse of his vulnerability, replaced by a burst of invincibility. Right now, for her, he'd climb Mt. Everest.


	5. Chapter 5

Thankful that instead of climbing a mountain all he really needed to do was move downhill, he started down the dirt wall toward the stream. He had to get them water, especially Angela; babies could dehydrate so quickly. He slid halfway down. Then the ground shook again. He looked up at Sydney, heard her scream his name. He couldn't believe what he saw.

The new aftershock had jolted Sydney from her resting place against the tree. She was sliding down the embankment again. She screamed Gage's name as Angela slipped out of her arms. "GAGE!"

Sydney slid down the ravine, desperately grabbing for the baby. "Angela!" she cried as she watched the precious life slip out of her reach and tumble down the slope amid the dirt and rocks.

Gage saw Sydney slide past him on the left and sweet baby Angela rolling down on the right. For one brief instant, his gaze locked with Sydney's. In that split second, Gage read her soul's desperate yet silent command. _Save Angela!_

Calling on that superhero strength she'd infused him with moments before, Gage rolled to his right and dove for the crying bundle. Joy washed over him as his fingers closed around one tiny wrist in a grip wild horses couldn't have broken. He rolled onto his back as he descended, pulling Angela up onto his chest and covering her with both arms, holding on for all he was worth.

"Walker, listen," Alex said. She heard her cherub cry and jumped to her feet. That wasn't a hungry cry or a wet diaper cry. That was a hurt cry. Her baby was in pain. Walker recognized the cry, too. He watched as Alex turned pale and collasped. He caught her and walked her to the bench. Trivette got on his phone for the hundreth time and in a gruff voice said, "We need RESCUE here now! Send an ambulance and a chopper." It had been almost an hour and there was no telling how many more aftershocks or slides there would be.

Sydney rolled to a stop and covered her head as rocks of various sizes kept rolling at her. The pain was back and worse then before. She heard a faint cry. "Thank God, she's alive," Sydney said as she dragged herself and her useless legs over to a boulder. She had to find the baby. Did Gage catch her? God, she felt like such a failure. How was she going to explain this to Alex? She pulled herself up to a sitting position. Pain washed over her. Nausea threatened, but she tamped it down by taking deep breaths. Leaning against the cool rock, she fought to keep her eyes open; she had to keep searching for Gage and Angela. But her eyelids weren't cooperating. As though they had minds of their own, her eyes closed and darkness engulfed her.

Gage was sliding down on his back feet first with the crying baby trapped snugly against his aching chest. Instinctively, he dug in his heels to slow his descent, finally coming to a stop a few feet before the ground leveled off. He just laid there for a minute, trying to catch his breath. This was one hell of a day off. Angela's cries grew louder and more insistent. Painfully, he sat up and looked at the child. She had a few scrapes on her dirt-smudged skin. She was hurting and he had to make it all better. Bracing himself for the world of hurt he knew would come with the effort, Gage got to his feet. Instead of just wailing in agony, Gage used the scream he couldn't hold back to yell Sydney's name.

"Syyyydneeeey!" He tried to listen for a response, but could barely hear anything over the screaming child in his arms. "Shhh, shhhh, now," he said, attempting to calm her. "Uncle Gage is here and you're gonna be just fine." He positioned her on his broad shoulder and walked toward the small stream. Laying the baby gently on the ground, he knelt next to the water. He could barely hear himself think over her anguished cries. And he needed to think, because he had a problem and he needed to solve it fast. He had a whole stream full of fresh water to give Angela, but how the heck was he going to get even one drop of it into her without a bottle?


	6. Chapter 6

The RESCUE squad pulled in with sirens blaring. Trivette explained the situation. The ambulance pulled up behind them. Walker took his wife to the ambulance and had her checked out. The paramedic said her blood pressure was high and she needed rest. "No," she whispered. "I need my baby."

Gage unbuttoned his button-down shirt and laid it aside. He pulled his t-shirt off over his head ignoring the ugly bruises underneath it and submerged it in the stream. He squeezed it to wring it out and placed a wadded up corner of it in the baby's mouth. Angela sucked hungrily. "There ya go, sweetie. Sorry, it's all I have." He grabbed his other shirt and the baby and went to look for Sydney. Walking around the boulder, he saw her. Head back and eyes closed. He swallowed a lump as he knelt in front of her. He sat Angela on the rocky ground and using two fingers checked for a pulse. He exhaled when he found it. He used a corner of his wet shirt to wipe her face. Squeezing some water into her mouth. He was terrified at the thought of her spine being damaged any worse by her latest fall.

Sydney felt coolness on her face. The wetness on her tongue. The darkness faded as she opened her eyes. "Gage," she whispered in a cough.

"Hey, Shorty." He smiled that smile that melted her heart. Angela's gurgling sound drew her attention away from his blue eyes. "She's okay," Gage assured her. She wasn't taking his word for it. She tried to reach for the baby, but a sharp pain shot through her, forcing her to abandon the effort.

"She's fine. Scraped up a bit. But you, on the other hand, look like hell." He smiled again.

"Gee, thanks, Francis," she shot back. Glancing at the bruises on his abdomen, she chided, "You don't look so hot yourself."

The last thing he wanted was to argue with her, so he changed the subject. "I heard sirens. RESCUE is here. They should be on their way to get us." He grabbed her hand. Needing to feel her. As he lifted her hand she cringed in pain. "Syd, are you okay?" She nodded and tried to smile, her eyes betrayed her and he could read them like a book. He touched her cheek and promised, "It's gonna be okay."


	7. Chapter 7

Walker, Trivette and Captain MacIntyre of the RESCUE squad peered over the edge of the ravine. "I can't risk my men going down the loose dirt. If another landslide breaks loose then my men will be stranded, too. We have the RESCUE chopper on the way though, ETA 8 minutes."

Gage was wondering why RESCUE wasn't descending down the ravine. Then it occured to him why they hadn't. The loose dirt. In the distance, he heard the welcome sound of rotor blades. Beaming, he said, "Listen Syd, here comes the chopper. They're gonna have to do an air rescue, because the ground is too loose for them to come down on foot." Sydney nodded slowly. Gage placed Angela in Sydney's arms and covered them with his shirt to keep flying debris off of them. While the helicopter hovered above them, the rangers watched as a man descended toward them on a steel cable. "Is everyone okay?" he asked. Gage gave a report of Sydney's possible spinal injury and the baby's scrapes. While purposley avoiding describing his own injuries.

The paramedic nodded and radioed back to the waiting helicopter. "Three victims. One with possible spinal injury. One infant. Minor injuries." Within seconds a flat backboard and a medical kit were lowered to the ground on a second cable.

Angela looked up at all the excitement, wide-eyed. Gage pulled the baby up into his arms as the the paramedic secured Sydney's neck for transport. Gage grabbed Sydney's hand and an unspoken understanding was relayed. _I'll be right behind you._

The paramedic placed her on the backboard and strapped her down. Gage released her hand and pulled Angela closer. The paramedic gave the word into the radio, then hooked himself to the backboard to keep it stabalized. He looked at Gage. "We'll be back to get you next." Gage understood and waved them off. Angela waved her little hand. "Come on, Princess." Gage took Angela over to the boulder and watched as the helicopter carried his partner - and his heart - off to the top of the ravine.

Walker, Trivette and Alex were listening to Captain MacIntyre's radio. "We are coming in with one patient. Possible spinal injury." Alex gasped again. "Who? Oh, God, Walker, is it Angela?" Tears rolled down her face as the backboard was lowered to a stretcher behind the ambulance. Braving the swirling wind from the hovering chopper, Alex approached the stretcher with a knot of fear in her stomach. She couldn't help the wave of relief that instantly washed over her when she saw it was Sydney on the stretcher and not her baby. Just as quickly, that relief was overcome with concern for her friend. "Sydney!" she cried. "Oh, God, Walker, she's hurt!"

Sydney reached for the grieving mother's hand. "Angela is fine. Gage has her." Her words were slow and laced with pain, but they meant more to Alex then all the money in the world. "Thank you," she cried to her friend as the paramedics lifted her into the ambulance.

Trivette watched as the helicopter flew back down the cliff. He said a thankful prayer.

Gage slowly stood up as the cabled man descended to him. The paramedic explained the harness system to Gage and reached for the baby. Gage shook his head and pulled her closer. "I've got her. Let's go." The paramedic gave the word and the chopper flew up the hill again as the cable pulled all three of them into the aircraft. Angela enjoyed the closeness and the event. She giggled all the way to the top.

Walker and Alex ran to the chopper with Trivette behind them. Alex reached for Angela, taking her from Gage's arms. "Thank you, Gage" she cried, taking the baby to the ambulance. Unstrapping his harness and turning to Walker, Gage had one thing on his mind. "Syd. Is she okay?" The Senior Ranger said nothing. He took one look at the bruises on his friend and guided him to the ambulance.


	8. Chapter 8

Trivette rolled his cowboy hat in his hands and stared at the floor, feeling about as useless as yesterday's newspaper. Alex and Walker were getting Angela cleaned up. Gage was in the ER getting his three broken ribs wrapped and Sydney was being x-rayed. He felt so alone right now. He hadn't been there when his friends first got hurt but he wasn't leaving until he knew everyone was okay. He felt like crying. Not that he'd ever admit that out loud.

Just then a hand touched his shoulder. He looked up and saw the most beautiful face in the world. "Erica, you're suppose to be in Austin." He wrapped her a hug.

"Not after that Earthquake. I called the Ranger Headquarters and they told me what was going on. I had to be here." He kissed her lips in appreciation.

Walker and Alex saw the kiss and smiled. They didn't want to interupt, but little Angela had other ideas. "Badaba baaada," she babbled, capturing Trivette's attention.

"Hey, there you are, cutie," he said. He gave Walker a questioning look.

"She's fine, a few scrapes. but no dehydration or serious injuries."

"Hi, Erica. It's good to see you. When did you get here?" Alex asked, giving her friend a hug.

"Just now, actually. I heard about what happened and I had to be here."

"How are Gage and Sydney? Any news?" Alex asked, kissing Angela's cheek.

Trivette shook his head. "The doctor hasn't been back out yet." They all found a chair and sat down to wait.

"Come on, they're just a few broken ribs. I'm fine," Gage insisted as the doctor signed his chart. "I need to check on my partner and my friends' baby."

The doctor nodded. "You can go, but no strenuous activities..." The rest of the doctor's instructions went unheard as Gage ducked out the door.

Pulling on his button-down shirt - gingerly - to cover his bandaged torso, he approached his friends in the waiting room. They stood as he entered.

"Angela." Gage reached out and gently stroked the baby's hair. "Is she okay?" he asked her mother.

Alex nodded and hugged her friend. "Yes, Gage, thank you so much for taking care of her."

"Sydney took care of her," Gage replied, giving his friend the credit.

Speaking of her..."How is Syd?" he asked. Watching their faces, he knew something was wrong.

"What?" That one word had more meaning in it then he intended it to.

"There's been no news, Gage. She was in x-ray last we heard." Trivette relayed the news.

Gage paced the waiting room floor for what seemed like forever and the knot of panic in his stomach got bigger with every step. What the hell was taking so long?

"Gage, man, you need to sit down. You're wearing a hole in the floor," Jimmy chided him.

Whatever snappy comeback Gage would have grumbled died on his lips when a doctor walked through the double swinging doors and asked, "Is anyone here for Sydney Cooke?"

Gage stopped pacing. The others stood up.

"Yes, we all are," Walker answered for the group before Gage could get his mouth working. "I'm Ranger Walker, her boss," he said shaking the doctor's hand. "How is she?"

The doctor's grey eyes looked concerned. He motioned for everyone to take a seat then pulled a chair up for himself.

"I'm Dr. Ballenger, chief resident here in the ER. I'm afraid your friend is in serious condition. After a physical exam indicated paralysis, we sent Miss Cooke to have an MRI which showed acute spinal cord compromise from swelling." He paused to watch their expressions.

Gage covered his face with his hands. Spinal cord. Paralysis. He knew what all that meant.

The doctor continued. "We had to do emergency surgery to relieve the pressure on the nerves. We're also giving her high-dose steroids that should reduce the swelling. We'll be monitoring her closely over the next couple of days."

"C-can we see her?" Gage asked, choking back the tears.

"She's still sleeping from the anesthesia, but we've moved her to a regular room, so you can sit with her if you like." The doctor led the small group of friends to Sydney's room.

Walker went in first, holding Angela in his arms. Alex stood beside him while Jimmy and Erica flanked the other side of the bed. Gage hung back, taking it all in. He was on the verge of collapse and he didn't want his co-workers to see him break down before their very eyes. So he waited until each of them had said a few encouraging words to Sydney, grateful that she had such good, close friends. Then the nurse came in and said it was time for everyone to leave.

"Nurse, would it be possible for just Sydney's partner to stay with her for a while?" Walker asked, indicating the tall, blond ranger standing stoically by the door. When she nodded, Gage's eyes beamed with immense gratitude. Walker just smiled knowingly and quickly ushered the others out the door.

Gage spent the next hour sitting in a chair next to Sydney's bed, his need to touch her battling with his fear of waking her when he did. She looked so peaceful now. If he woke her, the pain might come back. He didn't want that, couldn't let himself be the cause of any more pain for her. But, maybe, if he was very gentle, he could hold her hand, just for a second. He only needed a second...just one touch, one connection, so he wouldn't feel so alone and adrift. Ever so carefully, he took her hand in his.

He was wrong. It wasn't enough. Her hand was warm, but her fingers lay limp against his palm, offering no assurance that she even knew he was with her. He needed her to know. She had to wake up. Pain could be alleviated. This was a hospital, right?

With tears trying to escape his blue eyes he spoke to her. "Hey Syd, you can wake up now. You're at the hospital."

He held his breath, waiting, hoping. Several seconds passed. A minute and then some. Her eyes remained closed. Hope faded. He let go of his breath, but held on to her hand. Finally, exhausted from the days ordeal, he laid his head on the side of her bed and unwillingly fell asleep.

Sydney's brown eyes fluttered open. She took in her surroundings. The white walls. The beeping machine. She wasn't on the side of the ravine anymore. "Angela" the name escaped her mouth, suddenly waking Gage from his slumber. He smiled at his friend.

Seeing the concerned look in her eyes, he calmly stated, "Angela is fine. A few scrapes, but okay." He watched as she laid her head back down on the pillow.

She looked over at him. "You okay?" she asked, still a little groggy.

Gage nodded. "Nothing a few more days off won't fix."

She looked at him then around the room, seemingly avoiding the question that lingered in her mouth.

Gage saw the tears in her eyes that she was trying to hide from him. He had to say something to relieve her tears.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you moviemom44. Please read and review.**

"Even when we discover what motivates us,

we realize that we can't go the distance alone." -Christopher Reeve

Gage saw the tears in her eyes that she was trying to hide from him. He had to say something to relieve her tears.

He couldn't lie to her. She deserved to know.

"The doctor said they're gonna keep you here for a few days, to keep an eye on you. He said..."

His words were interrupted as the doctor entered the room. He shook Gage's hand and turned to address his patient, his voice calm and even.

"I'm Dr. Ballenger. The surgery went well. We were able to relieve the pressure on the nerves, but the swelling is still there. I've made you an appointment with a physical therapist. He'll be here in the morning." The doctor smiled and his gray eyes offered a hope that Gage clung to like a life preserver.

Not liking things sugar-coated, Sydney voiced the question that hung unspoken in the air.

"W-will I be able to use ...um…my legs again?" she stuttered, unsure whether she wanted to know the answer or not.

Gage saw the fear in his partner's eyes. He reached for her hand, hoping his touch might offer her some comfort. She squeezed his hand and smiled at him, making Gage wonder just who was lending strength to whom. God knew, after coming so close to losing her, his well was damn near dry.

"We don't know how damaged the nerves are," Dr. Ballenger explained. "In most cases, the paralysis is temporary. But only time will tell. A couple days here at the hospital with a physical therapist couldn't hurt. Get some rest. I can have a dinner tray brought to you if you like."

With Sydney staring out into space, Gage nodded for the tray to be brought. She had to eat to keep her strength up.

After the doctor left, Gage did a little staring out the window, too, while he tried to think of something to say. Finally, he decided to just go with what was in his heart.

"You know…" Gage started, his voice thick with emotion. He fought the tears trying to push their way to the surface. "We can get through this together."

Sydney nodded, but she was none too sure she could handle any of this, even with her partner by her side. All the things she loved doing flashed before her eyes. Running in the park, being a Ranger, driving, sparring in the gym. It occurred to her that in every case, in each memory, she was with Gage. She'd never thought about it before, but over the last few months Gage had become a big part of her life, the best part. But if she lost the ability to do all those things, would she lose him, too?

She sighed and lay back down on the pillow. Just before she closed her eyes, she saw Gage smile at her. She knew he was trying to ease her mind, but it wasn't working. There were too many unanswered questions swirling around in her head. Finally, exhaustion overcame worry and she drifted off to sleep.

Gage watched Sydney as an array of emotions raced across her face when he told her they'd face whatever happened together. Fear, uncertainty, a bit of pleasure. He wished he knew what had brought on that last one. He would have asked her, but he could see how tired she was. He watched all the concerns in her brown eyes seem to fade as she fell into a quiet sleep.

Morning came with light shining through the hospital room window. Sydney sat up in bed to await her appointment with the physical therapist. Gage sat next to her bed in a chair. He hadn't left the hospital since the ambulance had brought him there.

"Gage, you really need to go home. Go get cleaned up, partner. Get some rest," Sydney gently insisted, trying to convince her stubborn friend.

"I'm fine," he stated. But the hesitant look in her eyes told him his need for a shower wasn't her main concern. The physical therapist was coming and she wanted Gage out of the room. Feeling defeated, he took a deep breath and forced a smile as he said, "OK, I'll go home, but I _will_ be back."

Sydney's physical therapy session was the toughest workout she'd had in a long time. Her therapist, Jeff, had a great bedside manner, but for all his good humor he was still quite the slave driver. At first, Sydney had been blessedly relieved when Jeff called it quits for the day. But now she was once again alone with her worries.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she thought about what would happen to her. She couldn't work at the job she loved. Her heart broke at the prospects of just sitting in her apartment in a wheelchair for the rest of her life.

A knock on the door had her wiping her eyes. "Come in," she said, trying to gather her composure.

Alex peeked her head in the door. "Do you feel up to some company?"

"Always," Sydney replied as Alex walked to her bedside to give her a warm hug. "How is Angela?"

"She is fine. She slept through the night and woke up with a smile on her face. How are you feeling?" Alex asked.

Sydney didn't want to tell her friend how she truly felt - defeated and useless. But Alex was her friend and she would understand. She tried to keep her tears from falling as she told Alex the truth.

"Oh, Alex I feel so useless. What am I supposed to do? I can't walk. I can't do my job. I can't..." Her voice faded off as Alex grabbed her hand.

"Sydney, the first thing you need to know is that you aren't useless. You have a lot of friends here who will help you. That is the other thing you have to do. You have to let us help you." Alex smiled. "Especially Gage."

Sydney was stunned. Gage? "Why would Gage want to help me now?"

Alex looked surprised at her friend. "Uhm, because he cares about you."

"Alex, that was before I... Before I got hurt. I won't be a burden on anyone. Including Gage. I won't let him waste his time taking care of me," Sydney said stubbornly, turning away from her friend.

"Don't you think that's his choice?"

No answer. Alex knew better than to push Sydney now. "Just think about it. I need to get back to work, but I will stop back by later."

As Alex walked out the door, she noticed the blonde Ranger standing outside the door.

"How much of that did you hear, Mr. Eavesdropper?"

Gage stared at her, his eyes filled with sadness and disbelief. "Enough."

She forced a smile and grabbed his hand. "Don't give up on her, Gage. She needs to see that we are all here for her no matter what."

"I will _never_ give up on her," Gage said with absolute certainty. He excused himself and walked into Sydney's room.

Smiling, he laid a duffel bag on the bed.

Sydney smiled back. "What's this?" she asked, motioning toward the bag.

"I stopped by your place and picked you up a few things," he said, shrugging as if packing that bag with clean clothes and all her girly bathroom essentials was no big deal. And it wasn't that big a deal, really, if you didn't count that decidedly uncomfortable moment when he had to reach into her underwear drawer, an image that would be burned into his brain for all eternity. But, hey, what are partners for? "Just some stuff I thought you would need."

"Aaww, thanks, Gage. That was nice." She shuffled through the bag, examining the contents and smiled at his thoughtfulness.


	10. Chapter 10

Three days in the hospital flew by with visits from her friends and endless games of cards. On the third day, the doctor released her with strict instructions to continue her physical therapy at home. She readily agreed. Gage was there to take her home. The nurse pushed Sydney to the hospital's front entrance where Gage was waiting with his car. Gage opened the door for her then walked over and before she could protest picked Sydney up, placed her in the passenger seat and buckled her in.

The drive to her apartment was quiet, but Sydney had something she needed to say. She hadn't had the time or the nerve to say it before. She looked over at her friend and smiled. "Hey, thank you."

Gage smiled his All-American smile and said, "You're welcome…for whatever it is."

When they arrived at her apartment building, he parked in front and got out. He opened her door and again carried her up the steps to her apartment, settling her on the couch before heading back out to get the rest of her things from the car.

Sydney looked around her apartment. She saw the wheelchair Alex had rented for her beside the couch. Her self-pity got the best of her and she started to cry. How was she going to manage this? It was bad enough that Gage had risked hurting himself by carrying her. With his broken ribs, he wasn't supposed to be lifting anything. She cared too much for him to allow him to get hurt because of her. She took a deep breath, pulled the wheelchair closer and managed to slide herself into it. She heard Gage coming up the steps and met him at the door.

She was a little winded, but she pasted on a smile and grabbed the duffel bag from him. He entered and placed the three vases of flowers she'd received in the hospital in various places in her living room. Setting the bag down, she said, "Thanks again, Gage. I really appreciate the ride, but I have got so much to do around here and I'm sure you've got things to do at your place. So, I'll see you later, OK?"

Gage wanted to stay but he knew if he tried it would only upset her. He didn't want that. He walked over and knelt next to her chair.

"OK, Miss Independent. I am a phone call away if you need anything." He smiled as he stood and unwillingly walked out the door.

He got as far as his car, but he couldn't quite bring himself to leave. He sat in his car watching her window. He shook his head at her stubbornness, then realized it was that stubbornness he hoped would get her through this. At last, he started the car. His ribs were beginning to hurt. Reluctantly, he pulled out onto the street and headed for home.

Later that evening, Sydney watched a TV news report about the earthquake.

"Hundreds are injured and eleven are dead in the aftermath of the earthquake. Many people have lost their homes." Pictures flashed across the screen as the anchorman spoke. Sydney watched as families huddled near destroyed homes, or wept as they held pictures of lost loved ones. A tear rolled down her cheek. She had been one of the lucky ones. She and Gage and Angela could have been killed. That thought scared her.

"My God," she thought, "Alex and Walker would have never been the same if anything bad had happened to Angela."

The doorbell broke her out of her memories. She wheeled her chair to the door. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she regained her composure enough to open the door.

Gage smiled at her and his blue eyes twinkled as he held up two take-out food bags.

"Hey, Shorty, I thought you might be hungry. I hope Chinese is okay."

She wheeled her chair backward so he could step inside her apartment. He made his way to the kitchen, opened the food bags and began placing paper cartons on the table. While Sydney watched in silence, Gage opened a cabinet to retrieve two plates. He sat one on the table and began filling the other with her favorite entrée, moo shu pork. He was serving her and she wasn't at all sure she liked it.

He looked into her chocolate brown eyes and saw confusion and pain.

"Hey, you OK?" he asked, laying her plate on the table in front of her.

Sydney's brain was still wrestling with how to respond, when her mouth opened and her uncensored feelings spilled out.

"What, you thought I couldn't fix myself dinner? I'm not helpless, Gage. I don't need your help...or your pity."

Gage took a deep breath and cringed at the pain that shot through him, partly from his cracked ribs and partly from his wounded heart. He shook his head. "I don't pity you. I just thought it would be easier if I..."

"EASIER, Gage? Nothing is easier for me!" Her voice was louder and Gage could hear the anger in it. "Just leave. I want to be alone." She wheeled away from the table and held the front door open for him.

Gage wasn't sure what to do or say. He cared about her. He wanted to help her. Hell, he wanted to just be with her, but she was throwing him out of her apartment.

"No matter what you think, Syd. I do care about you and it's not pity." He wanted to scream _I love you!_ But instead he slowly walked out the door and heard it slam behind him.


	11. Chapter 11

**I hope you have enjoyed this story. I have been multi-tasking with this and another fan-fiction for The Young Riders. Hope you read that one too. Thanks for all the reviews. And thank you moviemom44.**

Sydney couldn't eat. She was angry at the world and angry with herself for yelling at Gage. All he did was bring her dinner and she yelled at him. She remembered the way she felt when he had yelled at her when he was deaf and she was just trying to help. She wheeled herself to her room, slid herself into bed and cried herself to sleep.

Gage got back into his car, slamming the door in frustration. He swore as he pounded his fist on the steering wheel.

"Damn it!"

He started the car and drove off. Small droplets of rain began to fall on the windshield, matching the drops of tears rolling down his cheek. "Get a grip, man." He wiped a hand across his eyes and took a deep breath. He drove aimlessly and found himself at Walker's ranch. He sat in the car and listened to the sound of the rain falling on the roof. He leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. Reliving the last few days in his head gave him a headache. The sudden tap on the window made him jump. He used his sleeve to clear the condensation off the window enough to see Walker standing beside his car holding an umbrella.

Gage opened the door and stepped out.

"You weren't planning on sleeping out here were you?" Walker asked as the younger ranger ducked under the umbrella. Together they jogged up the front steps.

Gage shook his head. "No, I just started driving and ended up here. I won't bother you guys. I'll just sit out here for a while." He sat heavily in a chair by the front door. Walker sat in the chair beside him.

"So why are you out on a rainy night?" he asked as he refolded the umbrella.

Before Gage could answer, Alex came out onto the porch. "I thought I heard voices out here. Gage, how nice to see you! Can I get you something to drink?"

Gage shook his head, looking like a lost puppy. Alex felt sorry for her friend. She was about to ask what was wrong, but when she saw Walker shake his head at her, she figured it was 'a guy thing' and went back inside.

"Walker, what do I do?"

"I'm guessing this is about your partner, right?"

Gage nodded. "I want to help her, but she thinks it's out of pity not out of lo..." He couldn't finish the word. Not to his boss.

Walker knew where Gage was coming from. He smiled and laid an understanding hand on Gage's knee. "All you can do is be there. She will need you and she will ask for your help. Give her time."

_Easy for you to say, _Gage wanted to argue, but didn't. How was he supposed to stand the wait?

As ordered, Sydney continued with her physical therapy, progressing a little further each day. She was regaining some feeling in her legs and she could stand for several minutes without help. Within a week, she was walking with a cane. She hadn't seen Gage much. He stopped by a few times to check on her, but they hadn't really talked since the night she sent him home.

But today she really wanted to tell him about her progress, and to apologize. She decided to invite him for dinner. Hobbling over to the phone, she dialed his number.

Gage smiled when he saw Sydney's number pop up on his caller ID. "Hey, Syd," he said, trying to sound nonchalant "Dinner. Tonight. Sure. You want me to pick anything up? OK, I can pick us up a movie. Alright then, I will see you at six. Bye." He jumped up off the couch and practically ran for the shower.

The aroma that filled the apartment was tantalizing. The homemade lasagna was cooling, while the garlic bread finished baking. Sydney added the finishing touches to the salad as the doorbell rang. Grabbing her cane, she walked to the door. She opened it and smiled at the mixture of disbelief and – was that pride? – on Gage's face as she stood before him. She motioned for him to enter.

Shocked, Gage was speechless. He had seen her three days ago and she was still in the wheelchair then. He sat the movies on the coffee table and smiled. Finding the words at last, he said, "You look like you're feeling better."

She nodded and walked back into the kitchen. Gage watched as she managed fairly nicely opening the oven and removing the garlic bread. "Syd, it smells good in here."

"Thank you." She placed the bread on the table.

Not sure if he should help, not wanting to ruin the evening, Gage innocently asked, "Is there anything I can do?"

To his great surprise, she answered, "Yeah, if you don't mind, can you grab the salad and take it to the table?"

Gage obliged and before long they were enjoying the remarkable dinner. When they were finished, Gage cleared the table.

"Thank you, Gage, although you don't have to." Gage wasn't sure if she was going to snap at him again. She saw the emotions on his face and walked toward him at the sink.

"Gage, I'm sorry I yelled at you the other day. I had just watched the news and they were talking about the earthquake. I just... " Her eyes grew moist. Gage stopped her by placing a finger on her lips.

"I didn't come here tonight for an apology." He wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb. "Or to make you cry. I came here to spend the evening with you like we used to." His thumb made a little circle on her cheek and it sent a spark through Sydney. She closed her eyes. Gage couldn't resist the moment and tenderly leaned in to capture her lips in a kiss. Surprisingly, she didn't pull away. So he deepened the kiss, running his fingers through her hair. Finally, Sydney pulled back and looked into the bluest eyes.

She felt the comfort of his hands on her cheek. "Gage, what was that for?"

Trying to relish the moment, he replied, "Do I need a reason?"

Sydney looked away from him. "I just didn't think you would want to be with me now, after what happened."

He ran his thumb over her lips. "I have wanted to kiss you for years, Sydney. I mean a real kiss like that. Not one to keep our cover. But a real kiss."

The truth was out and he wasn't stopping now. "When I saw you holding Angela at the park, I knew you would make a wonderful mother. Something inside me clicked just then, like the final piece of a puzzle snapping into place, and I could see my whole future with in it. Then the landslide happened and I panicked. I didn't want to lose you. The look in your eyes when you told me you couldn't feel your legs broke my heart, but I never doubted for a second that I would be there for you, to help you in any way you needed. Because I love you. There I said it, Syd. I am in love with you." He held his breath as he watched her expression.

Sydney swallowed hard. He said that he loved her. She'd wanted to hear that for a long time. And heaven knew she loved him, too, more than anything. But she wanted to make one thing clear.

"Even if I'm never 100 percent?" She needed to know.

Without a moment's hesitation, he kissed her tenderly and whispered, "Always, Shorty."

She punched him in the shoulder. "In that case, I love you, too."

Gage smiled at the change in his partner's attitude. Sydney was back.


End file.
